If any further evidence were needed of Lancashire's ability to prosper
in difficult situations, captain Glen Chapple provided a masterclass
in the art of transforming his team's fortunes with an impressive
all-round display against Warwickshire.

Having consistently fought back from dire positions last summer to pip
Warwickshire for the title against all expectations, it was perhaps
fitting that Lancashire chose the same opponents to deliver a
determined performance every bit as good as those last summer in cold
conditions by the Mersey.

Facing the prospect of a second successive match without batting
points, Chapple's aggressive innings guided them to a competitive 250
in bowler-friendly conditions before contributing two late wickets -
including Ian Bell - as Warwickshire lost five quick wickets before
the close.

It continued Chapple's great record against Warwickshire, against whom
he has scored two of his six first-class centuries while his 78
wickets against them represents his best return against any side other
than Durham. In delivering another superb all-round display, he has
also transformed the momentum of a match that looked to be heading
firmly away from Lancashire.

"It's a good day from where we were overnight," Chapple said. "We
grafted a lot yesterday but obviously lost a couple of wickets that we
didn't want to and that can change the face of the game. Today we
worked really hard and came out on top."

Arriving at the crease with Lancashire struggling on 170 for 7,
having battled their way through an attritional morning when they
added only 47 runs in 32 overs, Chapple chose to play aggressively and
dominated a crucial 60-run eighth-wicket stand with Luke Procter:
Lancashire's emerging allrounder.

While Proctor reined in any attacking instincts to battle for three
and a half hours for his 46 runs, Chapple raced to 44 from 49 balls
and by the time he became one of four victims for Darren Maddy,
Lancashire were in sight of a second batting point.

"It's risky playing aggressively but batting lower down the order
sometimes you can say you haven't got the tools to deal with it for a
long time so you get a bit of a licence," explained Chapple. "It's the
way I play best, if I show a bit of intent, but you need a bit of luck
when you do it."

If Chapple was fortunate with bat in hand, there was nothing lucky
about his immediate impact with the ball. Tempting Varun Chopra into
edging an outswinger behind with his fourth ball was a classic Chapple
dismissal that has occurred consistently during his 21 seasons with
Lancashire.

Perhaps trying to mimic Chapple's earlier aggression, Warwickshire
chose to open with Neil Carter for the second successive match and he
responded by breaking the windscreen of the refreshment van with a
pulled six off Kyle Hogg. Revenge was swift, however, when he also
edged behind during an impressive opening spell from the River End.

Chapple was forced to take painkillers after jarring his ankle in the
footmarks from the Pavilion End during his opening spell, and his
absence from the attack allowed Bell to make tentative progress in
his first innings of the season. No batsman, even one of Bell's
obvious class, can ever feel too secure in such bowler-friendly
conditions, however, and he also fell in Chapple's first over back
into the attack to another catch behind.

Fearing the day would end prematurely for bad light, Chapple quickly
turned to his two spinners, Simon Kerrigan and Gary Keedy, who
responded by claiming a wicket apiece before the close to suggest they
may also have an increasing influence in the second half of the match.